Easingwold murder: "We want justice", say victim's family (From Gazette & Herald)

Easingwold murder: "We want justice", say victim's family

4:43pm Tuesday 25th September 2012 in News By Jennifer Bell, jennifer.bell@thepress.co.uk

THE family of murder victim Mohammed Saleem Khan say they want to see justice for his death.

Mr Khan’s pregnant wife and family have issued a joint statement as they come to terms with the death of the 36-year-old, known as Saleem, who died after he was stabbed in the neck.

The statement read: “Following our tragic loss of Saleem, his family and wife, who is due to give birth, want to see justice for his murder.

“We want those responsible to be imprisoned and we appeal to the courts for this to happen.

“The family thanks North Yorkshire Police for their ongoing efforts with the investigation and the support they have provided to us at this very difficult time.

“We request that our family is allowed to grieve in private as we try to come to terms with the sudden and tragic loss of Saleem.”

Mr Khan was initially believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries when his van crashed into bollards in Easingwold in the early hours of Sunday but it was later discovered he had died after being stabbed.

A 26-year-old local man has been arrested on suspicion of Mr Khan’s murder and three other people – a woman aged 20, and men aged 21 and 25 - are being questioned on suspicion of assisting an offender.

North Yorkshire Police are investigating whether the attack was unprovoked and racially motivated and are conducting a huge search for a murder weapon.

Mr Khan, a delivery driver from Luton but recently living in Birmingham, who was working in the area, was found with life-threatening injuries in the driver’s seat of his van at around 2.30am on Sunday by an off-duty police officer. The white Ford Transit van was damaged after hitting two bollards in Long Street.

Mr Khan was taken to York Hospital but died later.

Police investigations and a post-mortem examination later found that Mr Khan died from a stab wound to the neck. Officers are now trying to piece together Mr Khan’s movements.

Detectives are urging anyone with information to contact police on 101.